The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-02
COHEN, ONCE MORE.
He Takes Possession of the Auditors Office at
Charlottesville. but Will Be 0usted.

Special to the IndianapoLis Journal.
CRAwFoRDsvILLE. Nov. John L. Cohen
Democrat, assumed the duties of county aud
itor this morning without any trouble. Yester
day his attorney offered to pay $12 900 If the
county would agree to, pay back what, if any,
would remain from the. result Of the trial. It
was finally agreed THAI it Cohen would pay
Sl2 900 and submit the case to the court instead
of a jury,'it would be accepted. But Cohen
failed to raise the motley, and took possession
with this defalcation hanging over him. Cohen
was elected auditor year ago by a majority Of
16 over George r. Brown. When the Crawfords
vile Saturday Evening Journal first published
the final settlement made with the county by
Cohen in 1855. when he turned over the Office OF
county treasurer. revealing that the books
showed that Cohen yet owed the county over
$1,000. it was pronounced lie by
Mr.. Cohen and his friends Yet
at the same time County Treasurer Heron was
carrying this deficiency by order of the commits
sioners. to which fact he was obliged to testify
before the present Board of Commissioners.
when the question Of the eligibility Of Goben to
election was up before them. At this time the
commissioners came to the conclusion shat Co.
ben was not entitled to the Office account of
his owing the county. The first year Cohen was
county treasurer he kept books in a very loose
manner, and loaned money to his friends out OF
the county funds. and at the end of the first
year it was accdent tally found out that only
Sl56 was in bank to the credit of
the county. This led to investigation, and
it found that Cohen in debt to the
county over 27.o00. The bondsmen took pos
session of the Office. Cohen animated that his
clerks had made way with the money. This
caused commotion in the Democratic camp,
q IN ha ff1coa f
Mr.. Gobens lawyer, and asked to save Mr..
Cohen by acknowledging that he had taken the
money This he refused to do. saying that he
went from the Office. and proceeded
to knock Cohen down in the court
house. Cohen turned over property. notes.
made with the county. To this day some of
these notes are not paid. and probably never
will be by the persons whose are at
tached thereto. Cohen was permitted to retain
the Office by giving bond. This time
Cohen kept books" hut he managed, from
Nov to Sept l. to get in debt to the county
new treasurer refused carry this deficiency,
and the Democratic Board of Commissioners
whitewashed Cohen and allowed him credit
for the deficiency. in order to allow the new
treasurer a clear commencing In the accounts of
the Office.
When Cohen thus retired from the Office it
was supposed that he would enter
tain the remotest idea of running for another
office; but within six months he got the notion
into his head to run for auditor. and preached
the subject to a prominent Democrat, and an
arrangement was entered into between them to
work up boom" and get him nominated. They
were successful and Cohen was nominated and
elected. Yet this Democrat, to whom Cohen is
under obligations for resurrection from polti-
cal grave, is not now one of his advisers.
Another Democrat. who devoted all his
time in canvassing this county for Cohen,
the promise of "a place in the Office" is now
wondering who will attend to the gravel-road
department of the Office. These two mentioned
persons called upon Mr.. Cohen a short time be-
fore thu election and he again promised them
positions; and. Also that offensive person
should be retained ip the Office. Mr.. Cohen
promised scores of Democrats that W. j. Miller,
who has been in the auditors Office a deputy
for about twelve years. should not be
retained under any circumstances Yet he
taius Miller in direct contradiction OF promises.
1t is claimed by some that Mr.. Cohen has
completely jeopardized his final claims to hold
the office by taking possession and at the same
time being a iefaulter to the county. If Cohen
had settled with the county before he took pos
session, it would have settled this point IN the
As it is. it leaves this open for after set
Element by the court, and if it is determined
that defaulter cannot hold office he will not
have a chance to pay before the proper time,
from the fact that that day will be past, and
therefore g oben will be ousted. Quo warranto
proceedings will be commenced in the morning